The invention relates to devices and tools used to prepare tissue samples and, more particularly, to a grossing tool for preparing slices of tissue uniformly of a desired thickness.
In the field of pathology, it is customary to prepare slice-shaped tissue samples for processing, mictrotomy, staining and histopathologic analysis. The term ‘grossing’ refers to the handling and preparation of a relatively thick tissue sample, i.e., samples on the order of 0.5 to 4 millimeters in thickness. Grossing is in contrast to microtomy, in which extremely thin tissue samples, i.e., samples on the order of 3 to 10 microns in thickness, are prepared.
When preparing relatively thick slices from various tissue samples, i.e., when grossing multiple specimens, it is important for the slices of tissue to be as consistently uniform in thickness as possible to facilitate standardization of the tissue processing method. A grossing board has been developed which facilitates the preparation of gross tissue samples that are of a desired thickness. The grossing board, which is the subject of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/876,167, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference, has one or more tissue-receiving depressions formed therein. A knife-guiding assembly is provided to guide a knife or scalpel blade along the surface of the grossing board to cut the tissue sample to a desired thickness as defined by the depth of the respective depression.
While the grossing board greatly facilitates the preparation of tissue samples for processing, it remains difficult to sample flat structures such as skin, intestine and the like as well as small tubular organs such as the appendix and fallopian tubes. Also, organs such as the bowel and gallbladder, which are composed of layers of different structures that slide over each other during sectioning present problems to pathologists. Indeed, these tissues are particularly difficult to slice during grossing and practically impossible to section uniformly at the desired thickness.
Additionally, tissues that are very soft, smooth and slippery, such as those having a high fat content, are difficult to hold on any cutting surface to section appropriately. This is the case with, for example, breast, skin with subcutaneous fat, and tumors of adipose tissue. It is the present practice to hold such tissues with forceps while slicing them to prepare samples for processing. However, the sections obtained in this manner are irregular, varying considerably in dimension and thickness.
Therefore, there remains a need for a device to facilitate the preparation of tissue samples of the desired thickness, particularly where the above-described grossing board cannot easily be utilized.